Alexandria Robinson Ms. Kellee Barbour Eng 251 07FA 29 September 2014 The Odyssey and o Brother Where Art Thou? Comparison Greek mythology is a world full of mystic creatures and great heroes. Throughout history, myths have been used as a means of entertainment and teaching culture. One of the most renowned heroes in Greek mythology is Odysseus and the story of his epic journey home from war has become a literary gem. Today, filmmakers, such as the Coen Brothers, create motion pictures as a means of entertainment. The Coen Brother’s film, O Brother Where Art Thou?, is full of references to the Homeric epic of The Odyssey, including specific scenes that are direct adaptations of Homer’s work (Weinlich). A few examples of directly adapted scenes …show more content…
The first mention of the Sirens in The Odyssey is during a conversation with Circe when she speaks to Odysseus about the challenges he will face on the way back to Ithaca. She warns that the song of the Sirens causes men to go insane and jump overboard, falling to their deaths. She specifically states, “There is a heap of dead men's bones lying all around” (Lattimore). Pete and Delmar jumping off the truck to run after the girls bathing in the river symbolizes the sailors who lost their lives trying to swim after the Sirens. “Come lay your bones on the alabaster stones...” is a line repeated throughout the song of the river sisters (Coen). Although neither Pete nor Delmar die due to the sisters at the river, the alluring nature of the women causes the return of Pete to the prison camp. Sirens are connected with a path of self-destruction. The two works demonstrate the importance of self-control. If the sailors of The Odyssey ignore the presence of the Sirens they will survive just as Everett and Delmar ignore the three sisters and avoid being turned in for bounty. Karma plays a role in what happens to Pete- all of the running and crimes finally catch up to him. Retribution is a theme supported throughout both the epic and the